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Mental health literacy about depression and schizophrenia among adolescents in Sweden

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 April 2020

P.A. Melas ,
E. Tartani ,
T. Forsner ,
M. Edhborg  and
Y. Forsell
P.A. Melas*
Affiliation:
Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, Neurogenetics Unit, Karolinska Institutet, Center for Molecular Medicine, Stockholm, Sweden Center for Molecular Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
E. Tartani
Affiliation:
Department of Public Health Sciences, Public Health Epidemiology Unit, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
T. Forsner
Affiliation:
Department of Public Health Sciences, Public Health Epidemiology Unit, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
M. Edhborg
Affiliation:
Department of Neurobiology, Caring Sciences and Society, Nursing Unit, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
Y. Forsell*
Affiliation:
Department of Public Health Sciences, Public Health Epidemiology Unit, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
*
*Corresponding author. Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, Neurogenetics Unit, Karolinska Institutet, CMM L8:00, Karolinska University Hospital, 17176 Stockholm, Sweden. Tel.: +46 8 51775541; fax: +46 8 51773909. E-mail addresses:Philippe.Melas@ki.se (P.A. Melas)
**Co-corresponding author. Department of Public Health Sciences, Public Health Epidemiology Unit, Karolinska Institutet, S1:04 Norrbacka, Karolinska University Hospital, 17176 Stockholm, Sweden. Tel.: +46 8 52480108. E-mail addresses:Yvonne.Forsell@ki.se (Y. Forsell).
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Abstract

Background

Mental health literacy (MHL) refers to an individual's knowledge of mental disorders, including the ability to recognize psychopathology and being aware of help options. Most studies of MHL have focused on adults.

Objective

The purpose of this study was to examine levels of MHL among adolescents.

Methods

MHL was examined using two pre-established vignettes that presented an adolescent with symptoms of either depression or schizophrenia. The respondents were 426 adolescents (age mean = 16). Vignette data were analyzed both qualitatively and quantitatively.

Results

The data showed that 42.7% and 34.7% of the respondents identified depression and schizophrenia, respectively. Depression was recognized more often by females than males. Professional help was suggested by a minority of the respondents for managing symptoms of depression (22.5%) or schizophrenia (32.6%). Altruistic behaviors, examined through the willingness to help an acquaintance with mental illness symptoms, were apparent among 58.2% of the respondents and to a greater extent in females than males. Answers following the schizophrenia vignette also revealed stigmatizing attitudes in 11.5% of the participants.

Conclusions

There are relatively low levels of MHL among teenagers in Sweden. Awareness campaigns and the implementation of psychoeducation in the school curriculum could increase MHL in this group.

Keywords

Mental illnessEuropeRecognitionTeenagersScandinaviaStigma
Type
Original article
Information
European Psychiatry , Volume 28 , Issue 7 , September 2013 , pp. 404 - 411
Copyright
Copyright © European Psychiatric Association

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Footnotes

1

These authors contributed equally to this work.

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